Respiratory Care


Welcome

Welcome to our Respiratory Care Program! You're embarking on a journey toward an Associate of Applied Science degree. Here, you will gain the skills needed for obtaining the RRT credential, empowering you to make a positive impact on patients' lives, one breath at a time!


respiratory-care-members-giving-treatment-to-patient

The Respiratory Care program provides educational experiences and all coursework necessary to qualify graduates for credentialing exams offered by the  . 91自拍 desiring admission into the program must first meet the basic entrance requirements for 91自拍. They then must file for admission to the Respiratory Care program.


Departmental Goals

To prepare graduates with demonstrated competence in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains of respiratory care practice as performed by registered respiratory therapists (RRTs).

Programs of Study

Directory

 

Respiratory Care Department Chair

David Fry

david.fry@templecollege.edu

Important Dates


Application and Class Start dates

NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE


June 17, 2026

CLASSES START


August 2026

Program Information


The Respiratory Care Program (CoARC Program Number 200193) offering an Associate’s of Applied Science (AAS) degree at the 91自拍 Campus located at 2600 South 1st Street, Tempe, TX holds Continuing Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care ().

CoARC accredits respiratory therapy education programs in the United States. To achieve this end, it utilizes an ‘outcomes based’ process. Programmatic outcomes are performance indicators that reflect the extent to which the educational goals of the program are achieved and by which program effectiveness is documented. 

Admission into the Respiratory Care program requires the submission of a completed portfolio and an interview with the selection panel. You will receive the program application at the information session.

Admission Steps

  1. Attend an information session and hospital tour
  2. Submit transcripts indicating a “C” or above for the prerequisite courses
  3. Take and pass TSI or equivalent
  4. Take and Pass the most recent TEAS test
  5. Submit two letters of reference
  6. Be interviewed

Information sessions are held in the Health Sciences Center. Information sessions are from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Dress Code is business casual (ie. no shorts, torn jeans, or Flip flops)


Scheduled Dates for 2025

  • Friday, August 22
  • Thursday, September 18
  • Friday, October 17
  • Thursday, November 20

Scheduled Dates for 2026

  • Thursday, January 22
  • Thursday, February 19
  • Friday, March 27
  • Thursday, April 23
  • Thursday, May 28
  • Thursday, June 11

Please contact Debbie Parten at debbie.parten@templecollege.edu if attending. Dates are subject to change.

Resources

  • 100% employment rate for students since 2016 graduating class
  • 91自拍 respiratory care graduates pass national credential exams on par with baccalaureate program graduates*
  • Most 91自拍 graduates attain certification as Registered Respiratory Care Therapists within a month or two of graduation.*
  • Distinguished registered respiratory therapist credentialing success award 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023.

*Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care

Row 1 contains career and average entry salary. Row 2 contains link for texas wages data.

*US Bureau of Labor Statistics

2023 Median Pay

$77,960 per year

$37.48 per hour

Typical Entry-Level Education Associate's Degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation None
On-the-job Training None
Number of Jobs, 2023 133,900
Job Outlook, 2023-2033 13% (Much faster than Average)
Employment Change, 2023-2033 17,500

There are currently eleven active clinical affiliates that give students a broad range of experiences during on-site clinical training:

  • Respiratory care practitioners are tested and gain their credentials from the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC).
  • There is no testing done by any agency in Texas; however passing scores from the Therapist Multiple Choice (TMC) exam are sent to the Texas Medical Board so that a person may receive the Respiratory Care Practitioner (RCP) credential.
  • In Texas it is mandatory to have the RCP. There is also some type of mandatory regulation in all 48 continental states.
  • The NBRC is replacing the current Therapist Multiple Choice exam (TMC) and the Clinical Simulation exam (CSE) with a single, comprehensive Respiratory Therapy Examination (RTE) starting in January 2027. This new exam will have two sections: one assessing a candidate’s breath of knowledge and another evaluating their depth of clinical judgement. Candidates passing at the high cut score will be awarded the RRT credential.